(Please don't take that seriously, I'm actually in a pretty good mood XD)

My names Jody, I'm an art student at college who has always been interested in animal rights/ welfare issues. I did think this was an AR activist forum, but I was mistaken, after looking through some topics I realised not. But that's no problem, I'm fine with varied opinions. I can take a joke but I do enjoy serious discussion too.

welcome. Yeah, this forum is not restricted to any group or opinion on animals. I think you will find most of us do care for animal welfare but that includes hunters who want to make sure their kids will have something to hunt themselves. Personally I am a rodent fanatic so I want to improve the lives of rodents everywhere. This can best be accomplished in my opinion with the following 4 campaigns of mine:

- trying to figure out the best way to raise animals in captivity (from the point of view of the animal's experience) no matter what they are to be used for (rebuilding wildlife numbers, pets, fur, lab animals, reptile food, human food)

- promoting local food production such as greenhouses built on every home. The negative toll on wildlife (and especially rodents) is very high no matter what the form of commercial farming. This includes the introduction of norway rats and house mice who have wiped out many species of native rodents around the world (they make great pets but horrible pests).

- trying to get certain species of rodents that have a complex language in the wild to communicate in a 2-way form with humans via computers that use artificial languages built with sounds the animal naturally makes. If people can talk to animals and explore their brains (and done on the animals' terms and will), I think that will change both scientific and general public views on how close animals are to humans in brain function. Of course it will also help with the first two of the above goals with animal actors who do what they are asked rather then train a series of tricks and of course we can ask them what THEY prefer for housing, food, etc.

I am vegan in practice but for a completely different reason then most: to save energy, I no longer use a stove/oven nor a refrigerator. This generally eliminates animal products due to practicality. The other aspect is independence so I only eat stuff I can make myself (eventually) and raising food animals is tricky in a domestic situation.